At the 2011 Orienteering USA (O-USA) Annual Convention in Rochester, New York, Peter Goodwin, O-USA Vice-President for Competition presented a session that asked the question: Does the USA Bid to Host WOC in 2018? From the conventions own bulletin, the opportunity to host the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) in 2018 was presented to Orienteering USA by Denmark, with pros and cons discussed by the convention attendees.

Juniors and Beginners are the future of the sport of MTBO. To expand the sport of Mountain Bike Orienteering, every race director should include beginner courses in each of their MTBO events. Nicknamed "Brownie Events" by Australian MTBO racers, serious riders are known to get "brownie points" by bringing beginner riders to their events.

In the sport of Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO), it's no mystery that European teams dominate. But it is how they dominate that should be the focus for aspiring American MTBO athletes. For some time, many Individual and Team coaching techniques have utilized the same training methods as cross-country mountain bike racers. Repetitive technical work, intervals, endurance rides, and strength training have all been hallmarks of a good mountain bike training program.

As MTBO America finishes the final draft on our Bylaws, we've come to a disagreement regarding our views regarding the official recognition of the United States Orienteering Federation (USOF). Now we want to know you you think!

Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) can consist of several styles of race formats that include three distinct categories: Competitive, Alternative, and Experimental. In this weeks MTBO America article, we'll cover the finer points of Competitive race formats.

Are Mountain Bikes really that big of threat to the American orienteering establishment? MTBO America was recently asked the following question from a racer in Utah: "Is the way forward [for mountain bike orienteering] to get already existing orienteering clubs to incorporate MTBO or do you think separate MTBO clubs need to be set up?"

Race organizers in the US have from time-to-time produced MTB Orienteering races. However, no organized effort has ever been attempted to bring MTB Orienteering into the forefront of American orienteering competitions. Additionally, there are no American MTBO teams represented in any World MTB Orienteering Championship events, there is no active effort to form a competitive process for creating MTBO teams for international competition, and even the US Orienteering Federation has yet to place any emphasis (or resources) on MTB Orienteering within the US. MTBO America hopes to change all that!